I am a plastic surgeon in Little Rock, AR. I used to "suture for a living", I continue "to live to sew". These days most of my sewing is piecing quilts. I love the patterns and interplay of the fabric color. I would like to explore writing about medical/surgical topics as well as sewing/quilting topics. I will do my best to make sure both are represented accurately as I share with both colleagues and the general public.

Quilts of Valor

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Sunday, February 26, 2012

My malpractice is through SVMIC. They periodically sent out a newsletter with upcoming seminars and an article or two on ways to improve your practice/ decrease your risk of getting sued. The current issue’s article is “Communicating with Patients Who Are Deaf.”

The article reminds us in health care of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) which prohibits all physician's offices (except those operated by religious entities but notes the similar Rehabilitation Act of 1973 covers physician’s offices operated by religious entities) from discriminating against people with disabilities, including those who are deaf.

3. If there are two equally effective methods or sources, the physician has the right to chose the most cost effective. The caveat here is equally effective for the individual patient.

4. The physician’s office is prohibited from passing along the cost of providing the auxiliary aids/services to the the patient.

5. The ADA does allow physicians to refuse to provide a specific auxiliary aid/service if doing so will create an undue financial burden (significant difficulty or expense). This is hard to prove, as it isn’t as simple as weighing the cost of the service against the payment for the appointment.

Examples of auxillary aids and service include 1) qualified interpreter, 2) note takers, 3) open or closed captioning, 4) video interpreting services, and 5) exchange of written notes.

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My purpose in writing my blog is to attempt to provide good solid medical information on topics of my choosing. It is a way to educate myself, my colleagues, and the general public. References will be provided on medical posts, but not on opinion essays or poetry posts. An additional purpose is to share my interest in quilting topics, a way to show my human side.

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In early 2009 I joined the Better Health Network. As part of that Network, I will occasionally be paid for my writing. Those posts will be clearly noted. I will strive to maintain my high ethical standards. If I add any advertising, it will be clearly marked as such.

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I do not intend to use this blog to collect or dispense private health information on patients. If any patient is used as an explicit example for a posting, I will get that patient's consent in writing to use their story and/or photo. The office is permitted by federal privacy laws to make uses and disclosures of your health information for purposes of treatment, payment, and health care operations. However, that is not the intent of this blog. I intend to share information on medical/quilting topics with the general public and my colleagues. This web site does not share or sell any personal information, including your name, address, or email addresses with third parties. Have a blessed day!